How The Little Medical Cultivator Saves the Furries – CH8

Chapter 8

Lu Nanzhou focused his gaze and realized it was a small red snake, about twenty to thirty centimeters long.

It darted out of the bushes, raising its upper body, mouth wide open in a posture ready to strike—but no matter how you looked at it, it seemed more like bluffing.

Where did this baby snake come from…

Lu Nanzhou frowned slightly. Then, with a plop, he turned his head and saw Ye Yumeng’s ice cream had fallen to the ground.

The little caregiver turned and ran—but with his injured leg, he wasn’t fast.

The snake couldn’t see Lu Nanzhou. Seeing Ye Yumeng run, it got excited, hissing as it chased after him.

“Ahhh!”

“Why is it chasing me? He-help!”

Lu Nanzhou froze for a moment. He thought he had misheard—because there seemed to be a sobbing tone in the young man’s voice.

It was just a baby snake that hadn’t even grown its fangs yet. Was it really that serious?

Seeing Ye Yumeng trip over a stone and fall, while the snake lunged toward him, Lu Nanzhou finally focused.

Ye Yumeng also saw the snake pounce. Terrified, he grabbed stones and threw them wildly.

After a moment, he calmed down and looked carefully—only to find the snake frozen midair, mouth still wide open.

Not a single one of his stones had actually hit.

The little snake thrashed its tail desperately, trying to break free from the invisible restraint, but couldn’t move at all. Finally, its tail smacked its own head with a thwack, and it fainted.

The unconscious snake dropped to the ground.

Ye Yumeng stared blankly at it, then sniffed and looked up at Lu Nanzhou pitifully.

“Lu Qi… you saved me…”

Seeing the tears glistening at the corners of his eyes, Lu Nanzhou frowned slightly.

“That scared me to death… why is there a snake here?” Ye Yumeng wiped his tears and examined it. “Is it dead?”

“It just fainted.”

“With such bright colors, it must be venomous… why would there be a poisonous snake here?”

“It probably escaped from the sanatorium.”

“Why would the sanatorium even keep poisonous snakes?!”

Lu Nanzhou looked at him, then finally said, “You should call a rescue robot to take it away.”

“Right, right—I really need a rescue robot right now!”

Ye Yumeng immediately called for assistance. Soon, four rescue robots arrived.

After a brief registration, they carefully placed the little snake into a temperature-controlled box and quickly left.

Watching them go, Ye Yumeng felt something was off.

Why did those robots look like they came to rescue the snake?

He limped over to a bench and sat down, rolling up his pant leg. Luckily, it was just a bruise—and not on his already injured right leg.

“Lu Qi, thank you for saving me.”

As he spoke, he took out some medicinal solution and rubbed it onto the bruise.

“That snake was probably non-venomous,” Lu Nanzhou said.

At least, not to humans.

Watching Ye Yumeng’s hands still trembling as he struggled to hold the bottle, Lu Nanzhou couldn’t understand—why be so frightened of a mere baby snake?

Ye Yumeng noticed the faint disdain and smiled awkwardly.

“I… I’m afraid of snakes.”

“I once… got swallowed whole by a python.”

Lu Nanzhou paused, looking at the young man speaking lightly of the past.

That had happened when Ye Yumeng was seven or eight.

The suffocation of being coiled tightly, the pain of bones breaking, the despair of being swallowed—it was still a nightmare that made him tremble.

Yet now, he spoke of it so casually.

After saying it out loud, it didn’t seem so frightening anymore. Thinking about how he had just been chased by a tiny snake, he felt a bit embarrassed.

“What happened after?” Lu Nanzhou asked, his tone softer.

“After? Someone saved me,” Ye Yumeng said. “Otherwise I’d already be dead.”

Xueqiu had been clever—knowing it couldn’t fight the python, it led a passing cultivator there.

That cultivator killed the snake, rescued him, and took him in as a medicine boy.

Though the old healer had a bad temper and often scolded or hit him, Ye Yumeng still remembered the life-saving grace. When the man later failed his breakthrough and passed away, he took care of his remains.

“Hehe, I guess I’m pretty lucky—someone always saves me,” Ye Yumeng said with a smile.

His face was still pale, tears lingering at his eyes, yet he was smiling proudly—like he truly believed he was fortunate.

Lu Nanzhou pressed his lips together, then looked away.

To him, letting past fear affect present judgment was weakness.

Being swallowed by a snake? Compared to the battles against the Zerg, where far worse happened daily, it was nothing.

And yet… seeing the young man’s tears and smile, he couldn’t help softening a little.

After all, this wasn’t his soldier, nor his subject. He had no right to judge him by his own standards.

If his subordinates ever heard such thoughts, they would probably be shocked beyond words.

Their iron-blooded, ruthless emperor—when had he ever been this understanding?

The forest fell silent.

Ye Yumeng wiped his tears and glanced at the fallen ice cream, feeling a little regretful.

The cool night breeze rustled the leaves. The scene, devoid of heavy technology, reminded him faintly of the cultivation world.

It wasn’t as if that world had no happy memories…

He thought of playing with Xueqiu in the medicine valley as a child, reluctant to break the quiet.

Just then, his fallen cap flew back and landed on his head.

It pressed down lightly, as if a large hand had gently patted him, making him freeze.

He looked at Lu Nanzhou.

The handsome man only glanced at him indifferently and looked away.

“Your ice cream fell. Go buy another.”

Hearing that, Ye Yumeng suddenly felt a sour ache rise in his chest, his nose stinging as tears threatened again.

He didn’t understand.

It was just a normal thing to say—why did it affect him like this?

If it were his “master,” he would’ve been scolded for being clumsy, maybe even slapped, and forbidden from eating again.

Lu Nanzhou, after speaking, didn’t look at him again and walked toward the night market.

He didn’t like crowds—people passing through his spirit body annoyed him.

But since the little caregiver liked it, he thought he’d accompany him to buy another ice cream… maybe it would help him forget the snake.

After moving some distance, he realized there were no footsteps behind him and turned back.

Ye Yumeng stood there, staring at him, eyes filled with sorrow.

Following his gaze downward, Lu Nanzhou saw his own body gradually becoming transparent.

A realization dawned.

“Seems I can’t accompany you to buy ice cream,” he said. “My time is up.”

At the end of his life, his heart still refused to settle.

Unwilling, yet powerless before death.

At that moment, Ye Yumeng stumbled toward him and wrapped his arms around him.

Lu Nanzhou froze.

As a spirit, he shouldn’t be able to feel anything.

But somehow, he felt warmth—a steady warmth flowing from Ye Yumeng.

Ye Yumeng was using the Minor Rejuvenation Technique.

He didn’t know if it worked on spirits, but he wanted to try.

To transfer more energy, he held him tightly.

“What are you doing?” Lu Nanzhou frowned.

Looking up, Ye Yumeng said, “I don’t want you to go.”

Yes—he didn’t want Lu Qi to leave.

This man, so beautiful yet gentle, so easy to be around… Ye Yumeng even found himself wishing to keep him.

But he was too weak. He had no way to retain a soul.

“What is it you don’t want to lose?” Lu Nanzhou asked after a pause.

“I think we could be good friends,” Ye Yumeng said seriously. “I want you to live.”

He thought he had grown used to parting, yet watching Lu Nanzhou fade hurt unbearably.

“If you can’t stay… then I’ll try to save you!”

He pushed his technique to the limit.

“Hold on… try to live…”

But no matter how much power he poured in, the spirit continued to fade.

Tears streamed down his face.

“…You…”

Lu Nanzhou stared at him. Before he realized it, his hand had lifted.

He wanted to wipe away those tears.

But just as he raised it, his body—already nearly transparent—finally shattered into countless points of light.

Ye Yumeng stood there, watching them dissipate.

Silence returned.

Under the dim streetlight, his lone shadow stretched on the ground, surrounded by the vast darkness.

He was alone again.

At last, he withdrew his power and wiped his tears.

The old healer once told him—this path was a lonely one.

He should get used to it.

He opened his communicator to call a ride.

Another gust of wind blew his cap away—this time, no one brought it back.

He limped over, picked it up, brushed off the dust, and tucked it into his pocket.

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty…”

A faint voice called.

The warmth from the young caregiver disappeared, replaced by searing pain.

His fragile, childlike body trembled violently, though barely moving.

He… wasn’t dead?

“Your Majesty…”

With great effort, Lu Nanzhou opened his eyes and saw Lei Qi’s face—along with several medical masters.

Seeing him regain consciousness, everyone was overjoyed.

“He’s awake! He’s alive!”

Lu Nanzhou glanced at them, then looked away.

The ceiling light was too bright. Closing his eyes, a face appeared—

tearful, yet beautiful.

Ye Yumeng…

Was it all just a dream?

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